Bulgaria’s ex-bodyguard prime minister and his entire cabinet quit Wednesday after mass public protests and claims of corruption.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov was swept into power in 2009 on a mandate to raise the standard of living in one of Europe’s poorest nations and to clean up government.

But bloody protests have erupted in the past 11 days over high heating costs in the middle of winter, corruption and the poor state of the economy. Tens of thousands have marched in the streets. Police in riot gear have clashed with demonstrators, some chanting “Mafia!” and “Resign!”

Bulgaria, a country of 7.3 million, has one of the lowest standards of living in the European Union and has brought in austerity policies, or quick government budget cuts, in an effort to kick-start the economy. Tough austerity measures have also caused immense social unrest in Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal as people struggle with joblessness combined with lost government benefits.

Bulgarians are angry over wage and pension freezes, an unemployment rate of nearly 12 per cent, and low monthly salaries of about $565, on average. When hydro bills recently went through the roof, the people rebelled.

Pensioner Elena Hristova, 73, joined the protesters on the weekend after receiving an electricity bill worth 60 per cent of her monthly pension.

“I didn’t have much money to live on,” said Hristova, who burned her hydro bill in an act of anger.

Earlier this week, Borisov, who began his career guarding former communist dictator Todor Zhivkov, tried to blame “foreign” utility companies for higher heating costs. But the tactic did not work and the protests continued.

“My decision to resign will not be changed under any circumstances. I do not build roads so that blood is shed on them,” Borisov said Wednesday. “Our power was handed to us by the people. Today we are handing it back to them.”

High power bills were just the last straw for people fed up with a government lacking transparency, said Waldemar Skrobacki, a University of Toronto professor in European politics.

“If it wasn’t prices for energy, it would be something else,” Skrobacki said.

Part of the problem is youth disenchantment with the pace of change in Bulgaria and how things are run there, he added. When Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, the borders opened and young people travelled, saw the rest of Europe, then came back with higher expectations for their home country, he said.

“When they do that they can compare, and when they do, Bulgaria doesn’t look so good,” he said.

Bulgarians have also lost trust in their leaders due to corruption issues, from organized crime to the bribery of public officials, Skrobacki said.

“What matters is, if we are to go through the tough times, those who guide us should be trustworthy and they aren’t,” he said.

Legislators will vote on the resignation Thursday but it is largely a formality.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy claimed Wednesday that austerity is working and that the budget deficit was shrinking.

The unemployment rate may be 26 per cent in Spain but Rajoy said the deficit had dropped to 7 per cent in 2012, from 9 per cent in 2011.